Authors

Micherlange Francois-Hemsley (she/her) is a library and archives masters student at the University of Michigan’s School of Information. In 2022, she earned her B.A. African-American Studies and a minor in Criminology from the University of California. During her time at UC Irvine, she was involved with the mock trial team, mentorship programs, social justice projects, and leadership opportunities. Leveraging her certification in public speaking from UC Irvine's Department of Social Sciences, she has spoken at various conferences and events. In 2021, she began collaborating with women in the fields of library science, oral history, and humanities as the featured photographer and curator for the Art, Power, and Community: A Black Panther Party’s 55th Anniversary Retrospective Exhibit. This experience led her to choose a career in arts education, aspiring to become an archivist and curator at a BIPOC-centered institution. You may contact her at michfh@umich.edu.

Irma Guzman (she/her/ella) is a born and raised Detroiter who is passionate about “lifting others as you climb”. She is the daughter of immigrants from San Luis Potosi, Mexico and a first generation college graduate from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor with a BA in Sociology & History of Art. 

Currently, Irma is a 2024 Master of Social Work candidate within the pathways of Community Change and Management & Leadership, and a 2024 Museum Studies Program Certificate candidate. Her study interests include collective change/memory, social justice, community engagement/outreach, LatinX visual culture, community archives, and knowledge transmission around cultural and artistic practices. You may contact her at iandrade@umich.edu.